Wheelbarrow



Aug. 11, 1931. H, SAHLER 1,817,934

WHEELBARROW Filed April 7, 1930 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 HERBERT SAHLER, OF KANSAS CITY, LIISSOURI WHLEELBARROW Application filed. April 7, 1930. Serial No. 442,176.

My invention relates to improvements in wheelbarrows. It is particularly adapted for wheelbarrows of the type in which the carrying receptacle is pivotally supported on the wheelbarrow frame so as to swing forwardly and downwardly from the carrying position to a tilted dumping position, the front end of the receptacle being open to permit of the discharge therethrough of the load.

The object of my invention is to provide a closure so supported on the frame as to close the open end of the receptacle when the latter is in the carryingposition, thereby preventing plastic material, such as mortar, cement mixed with water, sand or like flowing material, from spilling out through the open front end, when the barrow is beingtrundled down an incline.

A further object of my invention is to pro- 29 vide a device of the kind described, which is simple, cheap, strong, durable, not likely to get out of order, which is readily applied to barrows of a type in general use without alteration thereto, and which does not interfere with the operation of dumping, and is automatically operated upon the swinging of the carrying receptacle.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a wheelbarrow provided with my improvement.

Fig. 2 is an enlar ed top View of the same, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4. of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

The type of wheelbarrow to which my improvement is applicable comprises the usual handle side bars 1, carrying wheel 2 therebetween, supporting legs 3, an inverted U shaped yoke 4 the arms of which are fastened to the side bars 1 respectively, a cross bar 5 mounted on the side bars, and a carrying receptacle 6 having an open front channel end, the receptacle being pivoted on the transyoke 4 so as to be swung from the carrying position resting on the cross bar 5, as shown in solid lines in F ing. 1, to the tilted dumping position, shown in dotted lines in said figure.

My improvement is provided with an inverted U shaped support, the arms 7 of which are bent laterally at their lower ends, and such bent portions being respectively. fase tended to the side bars 1 by bolts 8 which also fasten thereto the arms of the yoke 4.

The arms 7 of said support are respectively disposed at opposite sides of the receptacle 6. and the transverse portion 9 of said inverted U shaped support extends across and above the receptacle 6 adjacent to the front end of the latter.

Hinged to said transverse portion 9 by means of two clips 10, is a closure comprising a flat plate 11, which is walls and bottom of the receptacle 6, so as to close the front open end of the latter, when the receptacle is in the carrying position shown in solid lines in the drawings. and which, when the receptacle 6 is in the dump ing position, shown indotted lines in F 1, is held suspended in a hanging position by the transverse portion 9.

The closure plate 11 has an arm 12 projecting from one side edge thereof so as to engage the adjacent arm 7 of the support, so as to hold the closure from swinging past the position, in which it is shown in Fig. 3, to the vertical, whereby, when the receptacle is swung to the carrying position, the closure will incline downwardly and rearwardly and will have its side and bottom edges fitting against the inner sides and bottom of the receptacle 6, as shown. By having the clo sure 11 disposed inclined downwardly and rearwardly, when the receptacle 6 is in the carrying position, Figs. 1 and 3, pressure of the load at the rear of the closure will force the lower edge of the closure tightly against the. bottom of the receptacle, thereby holding the closure from forward swinging, and eliminating any accessory means for holding the closure in the closed position.

The closure 11 is adapted to be swung to the open position shown in dotted lines in verse portion of the fitted to the inner Fig. 1, in which position it will be releasably supported by the arm 12 striking the forward side of the adjacent arm 7 of the support, when it is not desired to use the barrow with the closure positioned to close the front end of the receptacle 6. In this open position, the closure 11 will project forwardly from the receptacle and will not obstruct the open top thereof.

In the operation of the device when the closure is in the closed position, and the re,- ceptacle 6 is in the carrying position and filled with material which it is to transport, the closure 11 will prevent the said material, such as cement mixed with water, or grouting, flowing out of the open front end of the receptacle when the wheelbarrow is tilted as in traveling down an incline.

To dump the receptacle, it is but necessary to lift the rear end thereof, upon which the front end will descend from the closure 11, leaving the latter suspended in the downwardly and rearwardly inclined position, as it is represented in Fig. 3 and in solid lines in Fig. 1.

The material having been dumped, the receptacleis tilted to its original carrying position, upon which the closure 11 will enter and fit into the receptacle as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, thus closing the front end of the receptacle, the arm 12 engaging the arm 7 holding the closure 11 in the rearwardly inclinedposition until the lower edge of the closure strikes the bottom of the receptacle, the front side of the closure being at an acute angle to said bottom.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. The combination with a wheelbarrow havingv handle bars and a receptacle having an open front end and pivoted on said hanfrom a carrying posidle bars so as to swing tlon to a forwardly and downwardly tilted closure, a supportdumping position, of a carried by said handle bars pivotally sup porting said closure so that it may be swung to and from a downwardly and rearward-1y inclined position with its lower edge resting on the bottom of said receptacle so as to close said open end, when said receptacle is swung from the dumping to the carrying position, and means on said closure adapted to engage said support for retaining said closure in said inclined position when said receptacle is in the dumping position.

2. The combination with a wheelbarrow having handle bars and a receptacle having an open front end and pivoted on said handle bars so as to swing from a carrying position to a forwardly and downwardly tilted dumpmg position, of a closure, a support carried by said handle bars pivotally supporting said closure so that it may be swung to and from a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position with its lower edge resting on the bottom of said receptacle so as to close said open end, when said receptacle is swung from the dumping to the carrying position, said closure being adapted to be swung, when said receptacle is in the carrying position, from said rearwardly inclined position to an open forwardly extending position, and means for retaining said closure in said inclined position when said receptacle is in the dumping position and for supporting said closure in said forwardly extending position when said receptacle is in the carrying position.

3. The combination wlth a wheelbarrow having handle bars and a receptacle having,

an open front end and pivoted on said handle bars so asto swing from a carryingv position to a forwardly and downwardly tilted position, of a closure for said open front end,

and a support carried by said handle bars and pivotally supporting said closure on an axis above the bottom of said receptacle and spaced from said bottom a distance less than the width of said closure, whereby said closure may be swung toand' from a downwardly and rearwardly inclined position with its lower edge resting on the bottom of said receptacle and with its forward side at an acute angle to said bottom.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HERBERT SAHLER. 

